07/20/2008

Owner of 'no-nonsense gym' in Dallas helps his regulars strengthen body and mind

WILLIAM DeSHAZER/DMN

Through 46 years of ups and downs, comings and goings, Doug's Gym has been a constant in the city's changing core – a factory for building muscles, burning calories and lifting spirits.
Video:Still going strong
Photos, audio: 'A hard-core gym'

Evacuated order lifted; Frisco fire under control
A passerby called 911 after noticing smoke coming from the building Sunday morning shortly after 8:30 a.m. at Hutson Industries located in the 9200 block of Hutson Drive. Homes within a quarter mile of the fire were evacuated as a precautionary measure, according to a city news release.

07/19/2008

Dallas radio host Russ Martin arrested on assault charge
Dallas-area radio personality Russ Martin was arrested Friday morning after an incident at a retail store in Southlake, police said.

07/20/2008

Dallas-Fort Worth students struggle with TAKS' short-response written test
Kids today are whizzes at text-messaging. But when they're asked to craft a well-thought-out answer based on a short piece they've read, many are all thumbs.
Database: View Dallas-Fort Worth area TAKS scores
Graphic: Taking the TAKS
Graphic: Assessing language arts skills

Gang behind Dallas-Fort Worth home invasions built empire on force, strategy
They were the Renaissance men of crime, a mixture of white-collar cunning and blue-collar ruthless violence. With a SWAT-like precision, they carried out at least 70 home invasions and about 10 burglaries in Denton, Collin, Tarrant, Johnson, Dallas, Rockwall and Ellis counties since 2005.

07/19/2008

Mesquite doctor accused of inappropriate contact
A Mesquite neurologist prohibited from seeing female patients in the past because of accusations of inappropriate touching is facing a criminal charge after a young mother made a similar allegation.

Murphy lawyer filling truck with homemade biodiesel

REX C. CURRY/Special to DMN

John Oldner drives his diesel truck daily, but he hasn't stopped at a commercial service station in more than a year. He pays $2.55 a gallon – about half what others shell out for diesel.
Video: Murphy resident creates his own biofuel
High gas price survival tools

3 Fort Worth residents die in Kaufman County plane crash
The plane crashed within a minute after taking off from the airstrip. it burst into flames when it crashed about 3 p.m. and black smoke quickly rose from the accident scene.

United Methodists choose new bishops for Dallas, Fort Worth areas
It's a big job, United Methodist Church bishop. And the man just selected as bishop for the Dallas area admits to some nervousness.

Lancaster event focuses attention on DNA exonerations
The use of DNA testing to clear those wrongfully convicted of crimes, and the lessons that have been learned through exonerations in Dallas County, took center stage Saturday during panel discussions that attracted local, state and federal officials to Lancaster.

Fred Moses becomes Collin County's first black countywide officeholder
Fred Moses, a local GOP activist since 1980, was elected chairman of the Collin County Republican Party at a Saturday morning meeting of the party’s executive committee. That makes him the first black politician to serve in countywide office in Collin County.

2 die in auto accident in Seagoville
Two people were killed and a third was critically injured Friday night when their car flipped in Seagoville, authorities said.

07/20/2008

Eagle Scouts
Dallas-area Boy Scouts who have attained the rank of Eagle Scout.

07/18/2008

Big Tex gets new duds for State Fair of Texas

COURTNEY PERRY/DMN

A crew from Amusements Inc. dresses State Fair of Texas icon Big Tex in his new Dickies duds.

Big Tex has changed clothes only four times. Big Tex last switched his duds three years ago. That's partly because refitting the chatty dummy takes almost as long as herding cattle.Video: Big Tex gets dressed

SMU Robotics Club getting Seahorse III in shape for San Diego contest
A small, bright yellow submarine dubbed Seahorse III stopped on cue and submerged on command this week in a pool at Southern Methodist University. The university's Robotics Club hopes its $30,000 machine will make those decisions by itself later this month.
SMU Robotic's Club
Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International

Tarrant health department gets hundreds of claims of parasite from Burger's Lake
Lab tests confirmed that a ninth person has been infected with the waterborne parasite Cryptosporidium as health officials continue investigating whether Burger's Lake is the source of the outbreak.

Two left lanes on westbound Woodall Rodgers Freeway to be closed
The two left lanes on westbound Woodall Rodgers Freeway in Dallas will be closed from 6 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday.

07/19/2008

Dallas horse owner moves to the front at Lone Star Park

TOM FOX / DMN

Jan Haynes flies her Piper Saratoga around the Southwest to watch her 47 horses race.

A visit to Lone Star Park in 2000 piqued Jan Haynes' interest in becoming more than a fan, and she put up $5,000 to join a partnership buying a horse. As Ms. Haynes has invested her winnings into buying more horses, she has built a business that has totaled about $630,000 in earnings this year.

Police shoot wanted Dallas man after Love Field-area car chase
A 41-year-old Dallas man was hospitalized Friday night after being shot by police at the conclusion of a car chase through the Love Field area.

Teen recounts sexual assaults by older kids at Sunnyvale Middle School
Seventh-grade boys at Sunnyvale Middle School feared going to first-period PE class. They knew what might await them: Vicious sexual attacks by older eighth-grade students. "They would say, 'I'm going to get you on Monday,' " recalled a 13-year-old seventh-grader, who told The Dallas Morning News that he witnessed the attacks almost daily.

81-year-old recognized for losing more than 100 pounds
Jeanne Hughes' struggle with weight is a classic case.

Man offering Irish dance lessons at The School of Contemporary Ballet Dallas
Twice weekly, you can hear the sound of traditional Irish folk music coming from the studios at The School of Contemporary Ballet Dallas, 1902 Abrams Parkway.

Sounding off: The importance of being bilingual
Question: Plano-based Bennigan's Grill & Tavern is now offering menus in Spanish, and last week, Barack Obama said he was embarrassed not to be bilingual. What impact does an increase in bilingualism have on your community? Does it matter?

07/18/2008

Rowlett picks bonds panel
Rowlett city leaders have assembled a 35-member committee to piece together a wide-reaching 2009 bond package that could top $100 million.

07/19/2008

Girl Scout Gold Awards
The Gold Award is the highest honor given by the Girl Scouts of the United States of America. Scouts must perform service projects, among other requirements, to earn the award.

07/18/2008

McKinney budget calls for some fee increases, but no tax hikes
Despite a slowdown in growth and revenues, McKinney can afford $4.2 million in new expenses next year without increasing taxes, the city's budget planners said Friday.

07/19/2008

Carrollton City Council to appoint panel on illegal immigration
The Carrollton City Council is expected to appoint a residents' task force to develop possible approaches to illegal immigration. The idea for such a group came late Friday during a council retreat

Grand Prairie renews search for developer for Wildflower resort
One piece of land in Grand Prairie is debunking the adage that real estate is all about location. It's also about money. A tract of land called the Estes Peninsula on Joe Pool Lake has been reserved for years as the site of a multimillion-dollar resort known as Wildflower.

07/18/2008

Couple has the right recipe for a 62-year marriage

LARA SOLT/DMN

Ralph and Rosemary Brinegar have compiled a list of more than 2,000 favorite recipes in their 62 years of marriage.

For more than 50 years, Ralph and Rosemary Brinegar have tested recipes by serving up dishes for their four children and asking for a family vote. Only the tastiest recipes earn the Brinegar stamp of approval and a spot in one of their three-ring binders.
Video: Ralph and Rosemary talk recipes

For most, tax stimulus money's going to needs, not wants
When Congress passed the 2008 income tax stimulus plan and President Bush signed it Feb. 13, the goal was to jump-start the economy, but necessity has trumped desire for lots of folks.
Video: Tax payers talk

DISH moves to shield itself from rising number of Barnett Shale pipelines
An emerging practice by energy companies – using eminent-domain power to build multiple, redundant pipelines across properties between the gas wells – has DISH officials and other Barnett Shale cities concerned.

Garland rape reports up 139% so far this year
Halfway through 2008, sexual assault reports in Garland are up 139 percent over the same period last year, but police officials aren't worried that assaults are the work of an elusive serial rapist.

Opponents keep up fight against Bush library at SMU
A delegate to the United Methodist Church’s South Central Jurisdictional Conference asked Friday for a ruling on whether SMU’s leasing of land for the institute would violate the articles of incorporation of SMU, the rules of the South Central Jurisdiction, or the Book of Discipline of the UMC.

2 Fort Worth officers suspended indefinitely
Officer James Hale was suspended indefinitely today after a six-month investigation of accusations of theft and credit card abuse, and fraudulently obtaining prescription drugs, police said. Officer Clinton “Cody” Wyatt, who was accused of driving a police cruiser while intoxicated, was suspended Thursday.

Escalator mishap injures women at Mary Kay convention in Dallas
Several Mary Kay sales representatives were injured at the Dallas Convention Center on Friday when a contracted employee changed the direction of an escalator while they were still on it.

Interstate 30 to be closed in both directions in Arlington overnight Tuesday 3:16 PM CT
The lane closure will take place at the new Center Street bridge in Arlington, west of the Collins Street bridge

Canoeist dies after craft capsizes in Trinity River in southern Dallas
One of two canoeists died this afternoon after being caught in rapids on the Trinity River in southeast Dallas. Dallas police and Fire-Rescue personnel were at the scene near the 1300 block of Riverwood Road and McCommas Bluff Park.

Fuel-truck driver suspected in gasoline theft
The driver is suspected of stealing 1,400 gallons of gasoline, much of which ended up in tanks outside a home in far southeast Dallas. Private investigators working for an Irving-based fuel company were following the driver today when he stopped in the 12000 block of Garden Grove Drive, a rural area near Seagoville.

Mesquite doctor accused of inappropriate touching faces new charge
Faiz Ahmed, 56, has been charged with assault by contact, a Class C misdemeanor, in connection with an April incident at Dallas Regional Medical Center in Mesquite. A complaint has also been filed with the Texas Medical Board.

Woodall Rodgers Freeway lanes in Dallas to close this weekend
The lane closure, which will stretch from U.S. Highway 75 to Pearl Street, will allow crews to install a new digital sign on the Pearl Street overpass, state transportation officials said today.

Golfers return to course after Dallas police catch ATM robbers 3:10 PM CT
Four robbery suspects were in custody after an ATM was taken from a convenience store in Seagoville early this morning.

Convicted Rockwall ex-DA isn't indigent, judge rules
Former Rockwall County District Attorney Ray Sumrow lost another legal battle this morning when a judge denied his claim of indigence. The decision means the state won't foot a $20,000 bill for a trial transcript necessary for Mr. Sumrow to appeal his recent conviction on a charge of stealing public money.

Double play: Twin broadcasters will call Grand Prairie AirHogs ballgame
AirHogs fans could be seeing -- and hearing -- double next week. Grand Prairie's minor league baseball team will feature twin broadcasters at next Wednesday's game against the El Paso Diablos.

Despite huge rise in fuel costs, DART holds the line on fares
Last fiscal year, DART spent $13.42 million for 6,500 gallons of diesel fuel for its fleet. By the end of June this year, it had already spent $14.57 million. Other transit agencies are in the same boat, and some have raised fares -- but not Dart. Not yet.

B. Don Magness, longtime Miss Texas promoter from Fort Worth, dies
From his obituary in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, B. Don Magness sounds like one of those larger than life, friend-to-all, pick-up-the-bar-tab promoters of a bygone era. Magness, who died at 75, was the longtime organizer of the Miss Texas beauty pageant. His "personality was as big and flashy as the Miss Texas pageants he oversaw," writes Anna M. Tinsley. She adds:

Flower Mound backs panel's decision to block gas drilling permit
Flower Mound will stand by the decision of a town board in its response to a lawsuit filed by a natural gas operator.

07/17/2008

Arlington ISD names interim superintendent while honorariums reviewed
Arlington Independent School District's trustees named an interim superintendent Thursday evening, hours after Hector Montenegro offered to take a paid leave of absence while attorneys look into whether he violated state laws dealing with the acceptance of honorariums from nonprofits that do business with the district.

07/18/2008

UT-Arlington student savoring break after reaching World Series of Poker final table

World Series of Poker

Craig Marquis outlasted some 6,800 amateurs and professionals to reach the final nine, guaranteeing him a payout of at least $900,000 and up to $9 million.
Link: CraigMarq.com
Link: WSOP interview with Craig Marquis
Lucky Dog Poker tips

Construction to affect traffic on Dalrock Road in Rowlett
Traffic on Dalrock Road in Rowlett will be reduced to one lane beginning Monday as crews replace several failed sections of pavement, city officials said. The closings will effect traffic from Lakeview Parkway south to Chiesa Road, and will last about four weeks.

Mary Nell Coots Rogers: Helped transform Dallas with philanthropist husband
Mary Nell Coots Rogers was the low-profile but active partner to her philanthropist and civic activist husband, the late Ralph B. Rogers.

Dallas-Fort Worth news briefs

Victims Outreach in Dallas may close without financial help
A Dallas nonprofit agency that has offered free services to crime victims for more than two decades faces closure at the end of next month.

Arlington ISD names interim superintendent while honorariums reviewed
Arlington Independent School District's trustees named an interim superintendent Thursday evening, hours after Hector Montenegro offered to take a paid leave of absence while attorneys look into whether he violated state laws dealing with the acceptance of honorariums from nonprofits that do business with the district.

Jessica Hall, 6, returns to North Texas after brain procedure

DMN File 2008

4:53 PM CT She's scheduled to return Friday night after undergoing a radical procedure last month to remove the right half of her brain.
Video: Prayer vigil in Aledo
Blog: Updates from Jessie's family
Blog: WJZ-TV in Baltimore

07/17/2008

Dallas' new homeless shelter, The Bridge, off to bumpy start
Despite overwhelming crowds, the operator of The Bridge stands by his philosophy of not turning away anyone in need. But its open-door approach has led to problems: drug-dealing, fights, thefts and lax security. Mike Rawlings, Dallas' homeless czar, said The Bridge has had a positive effect on downtown.

Principal of black school still inspires decades after his death

MELANIE BURFORD/DMN

When Howard Flewellen and other former students of the old Burnett High School gather next week for their reunion, they'll surely swap memories of their days on the Terrell campus and the man who made it possible.

Record numbers hopping on DART
More weekday riders boarded DART's light-rail and commuter trains in June than ever in the agency's 25-year history.
Gas prices survival guide
Find the lowest prices

Democrats taking on religious right via blogs
The fight by Democrats to reclaim God from the religious right has been taken up by the traditional lefty blogosphere, an online collision between the edgy and the ecumenical.

Allen ISD may split proposed bond package into two elections
The Allen school board may split a proposed bond package into two elections – one this November and the other in May – to seek financing for an array of construction projects and technology purchases.

Rockwall City Council may raise property tax rate again
There's a good chance Rockwall residents are about to face their fourth property tax rate increase in as many years. The main question may be how much.

For Texans in 'Lost Battalion,' real heroes were Japanese-American

BRANDON THIBODEAUX/DMN

This weekend offers a chance to look back at the story of soldiers captured for days by German forces in 1944. Friday and Saturday, the Texas Military Forces Museum at Camp Mabry in Austin will display artifacts and hear talks by veterans of the battle.
Video: Watch news footage of the rescue

Artist's mural at Irving clinic is her way of giving back to the WIC program
The small Women, Infants and Children office in north Irving is the first of WIC's 21 clinics in Dallas County to receive a mural.

Dallas-Fort Worth news briefs
Dallas-Fort Worth news briefs

Dallas police officer fired following bribery accusations
Senior Cpl. Minh Tran, 54, was arrested May 21 and has been indicted on a bribery charge. Chief David Kunkle fired him for engaging in adverse conduct and failing to cooperate with an internal investigation, according to a news release.

Police release images of suspected Uptown burglars
The suspects, who are believed to be 25 to 30 years old and of average height and weight, usually have the caps pulled down low on their heads. They are also wearing blue jeans and polo shirts, and one appears to have a tattoo on his right forearm.

Dallas nonprofit that counsels crime victims may close
Victims Outreach is in need of at least $100,000 to continue providing services to more than 100 victims of violence, from children who have watched their parents killed to sexually assaulted women who never saw their attackers’ faces.

Board of Education moving ahead on proposal to give HS athletes twice the credit
The proposal — allowing four years of sports to count for credit instead of two — will be drafted as a new state rule and voted on by the State Board of Education at its next meeting in September. Most board members called it an issue of fairness for thousands of student athletes.

Dallas man convicted of capital murder
A Dallas County jury this afternoon convicted Trandy Crew of capital murder for  shooting a Dallas man six times and then executing his girlfriend. Nicholas Early survived the 2006 incident and named Mr. Crew, 28, as the shooter Wednesday while testifying in court. Elizabeth Avery died after being shot twice in the head while hiding in the couple’s apartment kitchen.

Man charged with DWI after crashing into Dubliner Irish Pub
Michael D. Andersen was being held in the Dallas County Jail on charges of driving while intoxicated and evading arrest. Shortly before 3 a.m., an officer saw Mr. Andersen’s black Nissan pickup hit a curb along the North Central Expressway service road, blowing out the right side tires, Dallas police say. When an officer attempted a traffic stop, the pickup sped away.

Chesapeake Energy using video sites to sell its mission

COURTNEY PERRY/Special

The natural gas company known for its aggressiveness has spent millions on unusual media campaigns to mitigate the one risk it won't tolerate: unpopularity.
Tell us: What do you think about urban drilling?

Plan to block Bush policy institute at SMU fails at Methodist conference
Some Methodists say President Bush's policies conflict with church teachings and that with the library on SMU's campus, the church will be seen as supporting political views.
Religion blog
Link: Google Earth view of proposed site
More Bush library coverage

FDA lifts salmonella alert on tomatoes
Officials reiterated earlier warnings that the people most at risk of salmonella should avoid hot peppers – jalapenos and serranos. The government still doesn't know just what caused the salmonella outbreak, and Thursday's move doesn't mean tomatoes are cleared.

Ex-Gov. Briscoe gives $100,000 to rebuild Texas Governor's Mansion
Former Gov. Dolph Briscoe , who was governor in the 1970s, made the presentation today in Austin as part of the private effort to rebuild the devastated Governor's Mansion.

Man accused in Fort Worth shooting that left 1 dead, 1 injured
A 23-year-old man has been accused in the fatal shooting of a teen after a spray painting incident at a Fort Worth apartment complex.

State Board of Education to discuss high school athletic credits
The proposal — allowing four years of sports to count for credit instead of two — appears to have the support of several board members who will decide whether to move ahead on the idea.

Reward offered in case of horrific cat killings in Dallas
The SPCA of Texas is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of whoever is responsible for two gruesome cat killings in a northeast Dallas neighborhood.

Tarrant health department gets hundreds of calls after parasite outbreak
The Tarrant County Public Health Department announced Thursday morning that Burger’s Lake had voluntarily closed the night before. Vanessa Joseph, a county public health spokeswoman, said water samples had been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and results should be available by Saturday.

5 teens accused of sex assaults during Sunnyvale Middle School gym class
Five Sunnyvale Middle School students face possible charges of indecency and aggravated sexual assault after a Dallas County Sheriff's Department's two-month investigation concluded that the boys assaulted students throughout last school year.

Tarrant County sheriff hospitalized after falling through ceiling
Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson remained hospitalized today after falling through the ceiling at his home while making repairs in his attic.

Mercedes crashes into stalled vehicle on I-30, 1 dead
Among the last words Jonathan Davis heard was his friend's warning that sitting on the trunk of their stalled Lincoln probably wasn’t safe. Moments later, a silver Mercedes slammed into the Lincoln, and the 22-year-old Dallas man was killed.

Thief breaks into Dallas police car during domestic disturbance call
Citation books, an officer’s credit cards and badge were among the items stolen from a squad car early this morning, Dallas police said.

Dallas mayor proudly shows off Mockingbird station
Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert welcomed Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief and dozens of other officials this morning, showing off what's billed as the region's most successful transit-oriented development, the busy Mockingbird Station.

07/16/2008

Fort Worth's Woodhaven neighborhood fights to quash reputation as crime haven

JIM MAHONEY/DMN

Woodhaven is home to two distinct and divergent communities: one with a private golf course and tree-lined stately homes, the other filled with a sprawling series of apartment complexes that morphed into a haven for drugs and violence.

07/17/2008

Dallas' new homeless shelter enacts curfew, id rules
Dallas' new homeless shelter has enacted new rules, procedures to deal with overcrowding at the facility. Allegations of problems at The Bridge were outlined in a recent letter to the shelter's top official that said the facility "operated in crisis mode" without a "clear line of authority."

Border arrests cram courts, fill cells
A zero-tolerance approach to illegal border crossings has produced a record number of immigration prosecutions in Texas and other border states, swamping federal courthouses with misdemeanor cases and landing many immigrants in local jails, according to interviews and new federal data.

Fort Worth-based RadioShack among firms that will pay for violating laws meant to curb identity theft
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott announced Wednesday that two companies have agreed to pay the state a total of more than $1.5 million for violating laws aimed at curbing identity theft.

Richardson budget overview raises fees, not taxes
From sewer and garbage to swimming pool admission, rates and fees could increase next year in Richardson.

07/16/2008

Gen. Wesley Clark helps Rick Noriega in Dallas fundraiser
Comparing his battle for the Senate to David's rumble against Goliath, Democrat Rick Noriega held a fundraiser in Dallas on Wednesday night that attracted nearly 700 people.

Dallas-Fort Worth consumer prices mirror national figures, a shift from the norm
Dallas-Fort Worth area prices for June generally mirrored the year-over-year increases seen nationally, said Cheryl Abbot, an economist with the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Home state groups jump-start active citizenship in immigrants

MONA REEDER/DMN

For Roberto Chavarría and other members, the associations have supported civic life in the United States as well as in their home countries, a Migration Policy Institute report says.
Download: Read the Migration Policy Institute's report (PDF)

Rockwall County DA Ray Sumrow's fall a shock to those close to him

JIM MAHONEY/DMN

He was a self-made success who worked his way through law school and was elected district attorney six times. So how did a man with a reputation for integrity and friends among Rockwall's elite fall so far?

07/15/2008

Fuel surcharges are delivering extra pain

JIM MAHONEY/Staff

You’re not only paying to fill your tank these days, you’re also helping your pizza deliveryman, your cabbie, your plumber, your tow-truck operator and your landscaper gas up. While fuel surcharges on airline tickets and package deliveries have attracted the most attention, small businesses are also tacking on the fees.

Gas stations say credit card fees are pinching profits
Guide to surviving high gas prices

07/16/2008

Garland steers clear of a cellphone ban in school zones
The North Texas movement to ban the use of handheld cellphones in school zones began when Highland Park approved a measure in November, followed a month later by University Park. Officials in both cities stressed that the ordinances were aimed at improving public safety, though some critics noted that no major problems had been reported in school zones and that the laws did not address cellphone use in other parts of the cities.

Dallas County sheriff holds closed-door meeting with labor groups
Sheriff Valdez decided to hold the meeting Tuesday, several hours after representatives of the four employee groups stood on the courthouse steps and criticized her leadership, saying she’s failed to stand up to county commissioners who want to gut her agency to help close a $34 million budget shortfall.